Congratulations to all of you who are running Boston! It is a race like no other in the world! From the time you step off the plane you will feel the electricity in the air, that’s all everyone is talking about! As you know, Boston starts in the small town of Hopkinton and winds through different towns along the way into downtown Boston. The first half mile is a pretty good downhill that you will want to be careful on! Between the early downhill, all the runners, along with all the spectators it’s easy to go out too fast and you will pay a big price for that later in the race. If you think you’re going slow enough at the start, your probably are going too fast!

The course has some rolling hills during the first half of the race. The first BIG attraction is when you’re coming into the town of Wellsley. It is the home of Wellsley Girls College and they will be out there in droves screaming their heads off for you. It’s unbelievable!

The course flattens out for a couple of miles after that until you come down a very long steep downhill into the town of Newton Lower Falls but remember what goes down must come up! I think one of the toughest parts of the course is the very long gradual up hill coming up out of that town. No one talks about that one much but in my opinion that is where the hills really begin! At the fire station at mile 17 you turn right onto Commonwealth Ave and this is where the infamous set of hills begins ending with Heartbreak Hill! The toughest part of that series of hills is coming down the backside of Heartbreak, it can be brutal on your legs!

Once you’re down that hill you will make a left hand turn and start heading for downtown. When you see the big Citgo billboard you will then know you have about a mile to go to the finish! You will continue on Commonwealth Ave. and then make a right turn onto Hereford Street. This street is about 3-4 blocks long with a gradual rise. You get to the top of Hereford St. and make a left and then its about 500 yards straight to the finish!

Some other tips:

I know the expo is lots of fun but I would not spend too much time on your feet there. Get your packet, make a quick trip around the expo and then get back to your hotel and get off your feet!

Make sure you are well hydrated before, during, and after the race!

Don’t worry about the weather! So many people psych themselves right out of a good race because they are so worried about the weather! Yes check the forecast so you can be dressed properly but there is nothing you can do about the weather so PLEASE don’t worry about it!

Last but not least, HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish you all the best!

Dick Beardsley

DICK BEARDSLEY

A very short bio about Dick Beardsley. He is a “running legend,” but perhaps the most amazing thing about him is his climb back to health after becoming addicted to pain medication for more than four years. (read more at http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/camp/beardsleyinfo.doc).

Dick Beardsley

Dick is best known for his incredible race in the 1982 Boston Marathon, which this year marks the 40th anniversary of this famous Boston Race which was dubbed the “Duel in the Sun” as he battled world record holder Alberto Salazar down to the finish line. Both broke the American record: Salazar won in a record time of 2:08:51, Beardsley’s time was 2:08:53! He was at the height of his professional running career. Take a look at the famous race

Then tragedy struck in November 1989. While using an auger to lift corn into a bin on his Minnesota farm, Dick became entangled in the machine; it began to literally tear him apart. Not expected to live or walk-much less ever run again-he managed to survive.

Most people experience mild dehydration, or the state in which your body contains too little fluid, on occasion. Although severe dehydration is less common, it can become life threatening, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. In addition to physical symptoms, such as dry mouth and sunken eyes, dehydration can negatively affect your moods. Drinking enough water each day can help guard against these mood complications.

Relationship

Although drinking water is not known to directly cause positive moods, even mild levels of dehydration can hinder your emotional state, according to Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Dr. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin. If you consistently are dehydrated and prone to low moods, such as sadness or anxiety, increasing your water intake might help minimize your mood problems. If your mood challenges derive from an illness, such as major depression, an anxiety disorder or hypothyroidism, drinking more water might help prevent the worsening of your symptoms; seeking proper treatment for the underlying condition, however, is important.

Research

In a study published in the “Journal of Psychophysiology” in 2000, eight healthy, endurance-trained men were kept under- or over-hydrated while exercising on a treadmill for 90 minutes. Researchers then analyzed the mens’ memory skills, levels of fatigue and moods and found that dehydration impaired all of these functions. These findings indicate that short-term, relatively mild dehydration can immediately detract from an active person’s moods.

Dehydration Causes

If you have a condition associated with dehydration, staying on top of your fluid needs might help manage your emotional and physical symptoms. One of the most common triggers, according to the European Hydration Institute, is an infection that causes diarrhea. When faced with infectious diarrhea, you can lose a significant amount of water, or up to one liter per hour, with each bowel movement. Vomiting, which might accompany food poisoning, flu viruses and pregnancy, also can cause excessive fluid loss. Older adults and children are more susceptible to dehydration because of their lower body weights, higher turnover of water and bodily chemicals called electrolytes and sensitivity to illnesses and infections. Sweat from vigorous exercise or spending time in hot weather also can contribute.

Prevention/Solution

If you are prone to negative moods or mood swings, discuss your symptoms with a qualified health care professional to determine whether an illness is at play. Although people’s specific hydration needs vary, doctors generally recommend drinking eight or nine cups per day, according to MayoClinic.com. If you consume other hydrating foods and beverages, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, soups, low-fat milk or herbal tea, you might not require as much plain water. If you eat primarily low-fluid foods, such as breads, potato chips and pretzels, you might require more. If you experience thirst or your urine appears bright yellow, you might lack water. Keep water nearby for convenience, particularly during and following exercise and heat exposure. If water tastes “boring” to you, add a splash of fruit juice.

In case you missed it, an article in the Wall Street Journal’s Personal Journal section of Novemebr 22, “Countdown To a Food Coma”, gave some unexpected support for running and other exercise. The WSJ reported that researchers had found that your body’s reaction to big meals can be an indicater of future heart problems. And interesting for runners, exercise immediately before a big meal — and a regular habit of exercising — can help insulate your body from this harm. Says the WSJ: “Th[e] post-meal recovery period is being studied by scientists who are increasingly finding that what happens in the body after eating a big meal doesn’t just bring on sleepiness, commonly known as food coma. It can also increase the risk of later health problems. “Everybody absorbs fats, sugars and other nutrients differently. These variations can provide clues about a person’s risk for common medical conditions, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes, research shows. Even in healthy people, cells that line the blood vessels temporarily function less efficiently after a person eats a high-fat meal.

“Researchers also are studying strategies for reducing risks in the period immediately after a meal, known as the postprandial phase. While going for a walk after eating might help digestion, for example, recent studies suggest that exercising 12 or more hours before the meal can prevent one of the most damaging effects—a post-meal spike in a type of fat called triglycerides.

One of the biggest tasks for the body after eating is to deal with fats in the blood. Cholesterol, particularly LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, infiltrates the walls of the arteries and forms plaques, which can block blood flow or eventually rupture, leading to heart attack and stroke. The condition is known as atherosclerosis.
“Triglycerides, which typically peak after a big meal, are present in food and are also converted by the body from other nutrients, like carbohydrates. Triglycerides are particularly problematic because they are so good at penetrating the arterial wall.
”In a follow-up study, also published in JAMA, the research team found that testing for elevated triglycerides after eating was a better predictor of future heart attack than measurements taken while a person was fasting, which is the typical method during a checkup. Triglyceride counts after eating also were a more accurate predictor of stroke in women than were cholesterol measurements, according to a study published this year in Annals of Neurology.
Light exercise like a slow walk, done continuously for 30 minutes or more, appears to reduce the peak in triglycerides that occurs after eating a meal some 12 to 16 hours later.
It’s unclear exactly why there is a delay, but exercise induces a number of cellular responses that require different amounts of time before taking effect…Other research has suggested that the benefits of exercise on fat processing can last as long as 48 hours.The ideal is to be consistently active. But if people are more sedentary and want to time their exercise, it is best to take that long walk half a day before a big meal.